6 ways to improve your bike with sugru

Bikes are the ultimate mode of transportation, right? They get the wind in your hair. They're energising. They're environmentally awesome. They slip through commuter traffic and the countryside like nobody's business. Nothing else comes close for quick journeys - and even for the odd longer expedition, come to think of it.

Naturally, bikes need a bit of TLC to keep them sweet, and they respond well to personalising — and so sugru makes a highly versatile addition to your cycle kit. Top cycling site BikeRadar agree, calling it 'an incredibly useful tool.'

We've put together 6 ways to modify your ride and to make it work better for you.

Put your bell where you need it

James from London came up with this idea to make cycling safer:

"I hated having to move my hand to ring my bell, so I put it exactly where it should be — in easy reach of my thumb without taking my hands off the bars."

sugru sticks to almost everything and acts like a 3D glue here. A great example of a small tweak that provides more safety and thus makes your bike better.

Make bike parts more comfortable

Bikes, like all mass produced goods, come with parts that are designed to fit the average person. But as most of us are not that average, we need ways to adapt our things so they fit us.

Michiel bought a second hand bike, that was awesome apart from the brake levers that dug into his palms.

He added sugru ends to the brakes so they are just right.

Give yourself a better sense of direction

Ben bike commutes daily all the way through London, rain or shine. But he admits he's got a pretty terrible sense of direction and an unknown junction can throw him completely off course. Not any longer:

"I sugrued a compass to the handlebars of my bike. This little improvement has revolutionised my cycling!"

It's also a lot safer than fiddling around with your smartphone in traffic.

Build a removable smartphone mount

If you'd rather rely on modern technology, sugru-er Rayco came up with this rather ingenious removable smartphone mount for his new bike.

He used about 50g of sugru and a cover he already had to make this mount so he can use his GPS app when cycling about.

Silence your mudguard

Sometimes it just takes a little thing to make a big improvement.

Ingmar was annoyed by his mudguard's constant banging against the rack. He made a sugru bumper to created "heavenly silence".

We group hacks like this under the headline Stop little irritations, and think it's great to not just get used to these small annoyances but to take action and change them.

Keep an eye on traffic behind you

When cycling on busy streets, you constantly need to be aware of what's going on around you. Having to turn your head around all the time can become quite unnerving sometimes.

This is why Mike prefers a back mirror on his handlebar. The fitting got loose, so he had to readjust it frequently.

With sugru he fixed the mirror at exactly the right angle that allows him to see the cars behind him.

sugru + bikes: A dream team

sugru's properties make it ideal for all sorts of bike projects: it's weatherproof, it can withstand cold, heat, rain and sunshine. Even over years it doesn't get soft, brittle or discoloured. It also reduces vibration, is noise-dampening and can be used for waterproofing bike gear.

If you're already full of ideas for your own bike, you should totally get some sugru and start hacking your ride.

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